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Welcome to the first podcast of the new decade*, the new year, and Ricochet’s 10th anniversary year! Great, we won’t have to write that again. This week, Ricochet Podcast Chief Impeachment Pundit and McRib Analyst John Yoo sits in for Rob Long to parse impeachment, the legal issues surrounding the Iran crisis, and we’ve got Luke Thompson, the Smartest Political Consultant in America in the guest slot to give us an overview on Iowa, New Hampshire, Bernie-mentum, how the Republican hold the Senate and maybe even take back the House. Finally, thanks to @gumbymark‘s post One-Hit Wonders of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s (this week’s Lileks Post of The Week winner) we choose our favorite one hitters. What’t yours? Also, Megxit is a thing and we tell you why it probably won’t happen.
Music from this week’s show: I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls
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According to an account I heard a few months ago, Reagan told the CIA to assume the numbers they were stealing off the conference table at the Politburo were unreliable.
Instead, figure out what the Soviet economy would look like if it were collapsing, and then see if it actually looked like that.
It did. This gave Reagan the confidence to proceed with the Cold War policy that he had first described in a 1963 letter.
Fortunately Reagan had an ally at CIA with his appointee William Casey who knew how to work the bureaucracy.
One, he has his own show. Two, why would it make the world a better place?
Memory from a visit to Vladivostok a couple of years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union: I changed money but there was nothing to buy! Department store shelves literally empty. Of course the narrative will say there was a severe decline in economic conditions and a noticeable increase in poverty, unemployment, etc. with the end of Communism.
I had a picture thing of it, but can’t find it now.
“In communist countries, people wait for food. In capitalist countries, food waits for people.”
I suppose Steve and Rob could debate the merits of ‘Seinfeld’ versus ‘Cheers’ .
That’s one. There is another I have, somewhere, that says something like “Are you ready to try the great socialism?” or something like that, and it’s kind of an aerial view of people lined up outside some kind of grocery store, not just a line out the door but zig-zagging maybe even all the way around the building…
Not quite what you describe, but…
Or…
To get serious for a moment, Ritchie Valens was not a one-hit wonder. Bet even John Yoo would recognize “Donna.”
I knew he had another hit, but I couldn’t remember the title.
Considering that Valens was four months short of his 18th birthday when he died, if he were a one-hit wonder, he would have a pretty good excuse.
Technically, neither was Bananarama.
Bananarama was a 2 1/2-hit wonder — “Venus” and “Cruel Summer” were under their name, but Fun Boy Three got credit for “It Ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way that You Do It)”, even though Bannarama sang the hook to the song:
Q: So, how did you get to Persia?
A: I ran!
I believe I addressed this matter in the podcast, he said sniffily. They were huge in England – over 25 singles charted, so hardly one-hit. But to me they’re more formula Stock-Aitken-Waterman product.
James! Wonderful to see you chime in again.
I think it’s the same for Republica which I mentioned, among others. But I can’t be responsible for knowing the top 20, 40, or 100 all over the world.
This appeared to be very popular too, “across the pond,” but I never ever heard of it before.
Republica – From Rush Hour With Love
After listening again, it seems to me that too many things “shock” Peter Robinson.
I have to disagree with John Yoo. I don’t think Radar O’Reilly could be legally targeted in a war. He served in an unarmed hospital unit displaying the Red Cross, which I believe removed him from being a legitimate target.
Have to disagree about A Flock of Seagulls being a one-hit wonder. “Space Age Love Song” still gets airplay on the classic rock/pop stations…
There are some that had more than one arguable “hit” but this is another case where, although I’m 60, I never, ever, EVER heard anything from them but “I Ran.”
Great podcast, yet again! Always a pleasure to hear the wisdom of a fellow Eagles fan.
My only criticism – A Flock of Seagulls had TWO hits, (no, I’m not self-conscious of the Seagulls posters from my teenage years). ;-) Or, maybe I missed the targeted reference to I-ran.
It was meant both as a 1 hit wonder and a reference to Iran.
P.S. I Ran (So Far Away) made it to #9 on the Billboard charts, an actual hit. Their next highest charting song only made it #26 and then it was downhill from there. So they really are (were) a one hit wonder.